Wandering Minstrel Comes to India

It was a little over two decades ago that musician Eric Mouquet, who calls himself “a folklorist”, began recording and sampling music from the world over. The result was a series of albums, which not only gave the often-confused term of “world music” a new dimension, but also won him and his outfit, Deep Forest, the hallowed gramophone for the album Boheme. After recording sounds and poring over texts from various countries, Mouquet, who is based in France, has found inspiration in Indian sounds and collaborated with santoor player Rahul Sharma for an album titled Deep India (Sony Music).

“India has a rich cultural heritage and the appreciation for music is immense here. The diverse nature of the country’s music is what made it an excellent destination for innovation. That’s how Deep India came into being,” says Mouquet, 52, who recently performed in Bangalore and will regale audiences in Mumbai and Delhi later this month.

“I was astounded by the energy of the people in India,” he says.

Mouquet had never met Sharma and came across his tracks through the music company. “I instantly knew that we could create great music together,” he says. He is famous for being able to turn the most basic music around on its head, mixing them with electronica sounds and creating a sort of jet-age musical philosophy.

The album comprises eight tracks that draw inspiration from folk sounds

... contd.